StarStruck Theatre opens a sweet summer production this weekend

The stage is always a place for make believe, but with “Willy Wonka Jr.,” the last play of the summer at StarStruck Theatre in Stuart, local teen actors ventured into a land of pure imagination.

The comical musical features several songs from the 1971 film, “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” and follows the familiar story, which originally began as Roald Dahl’s 1964 children’s book, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

You know how it goes: eccentric candymaker has a contest to tour his surprise-filled factory, and the five lucky children who snag the golden tickets get more than they bargained for as their will power and character is tested.

“It really sets up the message that if you do good things, good things will happen,” said Jennifer Jones, the show’s artistic director.

“This guy, Willy Wonka, walks around showing these kids amazing stuff and they’re so excited to see it, but he has a couple of rules and when you break the rules there are repercussions.”

“That’s a really important lesson for children to learn,” Jones added, “and this is a great tool to open up dialogue between parents or grandparents and the children who come to see this show.”

Transforming into a character that’s more than a half-century old is no easy feat, and for a month, Madison Bailey, 14, has been psyching herself to become Willy Wonka.

“He’s such a different character — there’s just a lot to him,” said Bailey. “Willy Wonka can be crazy, creepy and friendly all at the same time and can kind of make you scared in a way, but he can change one word and be super nice.”

Not even for an Everlasting Gobstopper would Bailey give up the role, which she says has been fun, demanding and insightful.

“I have learned that anything you dream, you can do,” Bailey said. “Willy Wonka was poor when he was younger and he completely made this world up in his mind, and he wanted to be a bigger more important person to the world, and he did it — and that’s a really good motto for anyone.”